>>>> There might not be enough of a difference in timing of the diagonals to make it a true fox trot, but there is a difference.
I think that's an interesting point, Judy. It worries me that so many people, especially trainers and breeders, just seem to think that Icelandic's can only show trot at liberty, but then...poof...magically easily gait under saddle. So, how would one separate a truly three-gaited Icelandic, or a seriously gait-challenged horse from one who really can easily do a soft gait under saddle? I don't know for sure, but I would expect that isolating these "foxtrotty" trots might be a real clue. I think I've said this before, but I never "saw" Melnir do anything but a trot at liberty for a while (he was five when be bought him, and Anneliese had ridden him in the round pen maybe 3-4 times) but I took LOTS of videos and still pics of him before we really started him under saddle. When I looked at the pictures, I was surprised to see that his trot was often more broken than my unaided eye could see. When we started him under saddle after having him here for maybe 3 months, there was the gait from the very time we asked him for a speed above the walk. Melnir is an easy horse to ride, at least for me. He does have a strong trot, but he also has an easy-to-get gait. Contrast that to Tivar, who I never caught on film doing anything but a pure, two-beat trot. Now, I THINK that Tivar might have a flat walk, and if he has a flat walk, there might be a foxtrot in there, but I never saw him do anything but trot, with my unaided eye or on film. Andi is what - four? I know you won't push for any particular gait for a while Susan, but I wouldn't be surprised if he has some good gait in there, waiting to surface. Didn't you send a little video clip of him last year...? I was thinking that you did, and I thought I saw a little foxtrot then, but maybe I'm thinking of another horse... Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/687 - Release Date: 2/14/2007 4:17 PM
